What is a phobia and how can hypnotherapy help you to overcome one?

Many people mistakenly say that they have a phobia of something just because they are scared or fearful of it. A phobia is more serious than an ordinary fear, a phobia is a very irrational fear and is characterised by more extreme symptoms than normal fear or anxiety. However a normal fear can become a phobia if it begins to interfere with your day-to-day life and normal functioning.

Have I got a phobia?

The symptoms of a phobia can come in many different forms. The most common symptom though is avoidance of encountering the phobia at all costs. People who suffer from a phobia often find themselves plagued by feelings of dread at the thought of encountering their phobia which can lead them to do anything to avoid it, no matter how badly it affects their life. This could include quitting their job or not leaving their house for fear of encountering their phobia.

If a person with a phobia encounters the thing that they are fearful of then it can lead to extreme distress and in some cases total and uncontrollable panic, for many people just the thought of their phobia is extremely upsetting.

What causes a phobia?

There are a variety of different ways in which phobias can be developed. Some simple phobias like a phobia of spiders can be learned. A child whose mother has a phobia of spiders is much more likely to pick up the fear than a child whose mother is not afraid of spiders. Children usually develop phobias between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. Phobias can also be developed after a child or adult experiences a particularly distressing experience. But some phobias occur without any obvious reason; these phobias could be down to brain chemistry or genetics.

How can hypnotherapy help?

If you suffer from a phobia then hypnotherapy can be an extremely effective way of getting to the root of the problem and treating it naturally without medication.

Hypnotherapists are able to find out the root cause of a phobia by putting their patient into an extremely relaxed state using hypnosis. Once a person is in this relaxed state it is much easier to remember events that have been locked away in your unconscious mind or repressed. Once you have found out the cause of your phobia it will be much easier to then treat it effectively.

Unlike medication which just helps to mask the symptoms, hypnotherapy can help you to overcome your irrational fear, give you confidence, and help you to relax.